15 Ways Your Home Might Be a Lawsuit Waiting to Happen

There's a reason owning a house is such hard work. Even if you follow all the rules and get your regular inspections, you could still get sued for reasons you never saw coming — this is what you probably didn't know you needed to watch out for.

If trespassers get hurt in your pool.

If trespassers get hurt in your pool.

Yes, even if you didn't invite someone over you're at risk — that's why pools are called "attractive nuisances" in law. "The owner is charged with knowledge that children will attempt to enter the pool and have a duty to keep the pool secure and safe," explains Thomas Simeone, a personal injury attorney.

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If you park your car in the driveway.

If you park your car in the driveway.

A homeowners' association in Fayetteville, New York filed a lawsuit against one man for leaving his brand new pickup truck in the driveway. It stated that driveways in the neighborhood were for private passenger automobiles only and that the new truck didn't meet those standards. Rough.

If trespassers get hurt in your pool.

Yes, even if you didn't invite someone over you're at risk — that's why pools are called "attractive nuisances" in law. "The owner is charged with knowledge that children will attempt to enter the pool and have a duty to keep the pool secure and safe," explains Thomas Simeone, a personal injury attorney.

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If you park your car in the driveway.

A homeowners' association in Fayetteville, New York filed a lawsuit against one man for leaving his brand new pickup truck in the driveway. It stated that driveways in the neighborhood were for private passenger automobiles only and that the new truck didn't meet those standards. Rough.

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If your dog barks — ever.

"The more dangerous the breed, the larger the risk of a claim," says Simeone, which totally makes sense. But if your dog shows any signs of aggression in the eyes of the law (which includes growling or barking!) they're considered more dangerous. One Seattle family was fined $500,000 over their barking dog.

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If your kids' playhouse is the wrong color.

Not only are playgrounds potentially dangerous, but the color might offend your neighbors, too. This was the case for a Georgia family that was sued by their homeowners association because their daughter's playhouse was too pink. Oh, and a Kansas City family's was too purple.

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If your garden has proper paths.

Generally, if someone is on your property without permission, you're not responsible for their safety. The exception? "If there is a well-used path across your property, you are charged with consenting to others' use of the path," says Simeone. He says some people protect themselves by hanging "warning" signs or closing off their paths.

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If you don't maintain your electrical box.

A California homeowner was sued for nearly $25 million by the federal government after it was discovered that a spark from their poorly-maintained electrical junction box was the cause of a 2013 wildfire that charred more than 27,500 acres of land and cost the U.S. Forest Service more than $15 million to put out, plus $9 million in damages.

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If you forget about government-owned sidewalks.

Don't forget about the concrete paths near your home that no one claims. "An owner may be obligated not only to keep his or her own sidewalk clear, but also the one owned by the government in front of his or her home," says Simeone. For one Portland, Oregon family, not knowing they were responsible for the three-inch raised surface near their home resulted in a $63,500 lawsuit.

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If you throw a summer deck party.

And built your deck without a permit. "Deck failures usually happen when there is excessive load, such as a party, and an injured guest often leads to a lawsuit," says Welmoed Sisson, home inspector for Inspections by Bob Boyds in Maryland. If the deck wasn't properly permitted, the homeowner's insurance company could very well deny the claim, leaving the homeowner liable.

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If the tress in your backyard are old.

Just like a family member, you should pay attention to the health of your trees if you don't want to be sued. "If you notice one of your trees is sick and has the potential to fall, you may be liable if you fail to remove or trim it and it injures someone," says Simeone. Another thing to watch out for? Large limbs that drivers might not see as they zoom past your house.

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If your mailman gets hurt at your house.

This goes well beyond just snow and ice falls. One mailman broke his foot and leg after slipping on moss growing between the planks on a wooden path outside of one Annadale, New York family's home. As a result, the homeowners were sued and settled for $300,000.